Coping.

(without the outside diaper, duct tapped pads)

The first 3 weeks we spent a lot of time drying her pads around her diaper area and cast out, with a blow dryer.  We even tried a shop-vac for more power.  It was exhausting trying to keep the cast, pads and her skin dry.  

We asked for new pads to replace the dirty ones around the diaper area but that became a problem because the adhesive from the pads tore a hole in the goretex that lines the cast to keep the cotton clean and dry.  So then the cotton would get wet.  We recommend never doing this. Big mistake. After reading a blog online we duct taped all the pads to protect them from getting wet or dirty. If we would have duct taped all the pads right away they wouldn't have gotten dirty and we wouldn't have changed them.   

Duct tape saved our life.  We wish we would have duct taped all of her pads the second we got home from the hospital.  

Since we had a rip in the goretex we had to spend extra time drying out the cast.  A week later we lined the inside of her cast with duct tape where the rip was to protect the exposed cotton.  To do this we cut a long piece of duct tape and stuck one end of the tape to an office ruler and fed it through the cast.  Again the duct tape was a lifesaver and really helped keep the cast clean and dry.  

The top of her cast started to get wet from eating and drinking so we duct taped it so it would stay clean and dry.  It worked perfect! 

Her bar was wood and would also get dirty from her dragging it around everywhere so we duct taped that too. 

The best way for her to spend time outside was in a wagon or stroller.   Not every stroller or wagon would fit her though.  We found a deep wagon she could lay comfortably and safely.

  

The Graco travel system stroller fit her well. 

She loved to lay on her side.  We found her sleeping like this more than once.  

Before long she was army crawling around the house.  We made sure to keep her far away from any stairs.  

                                               

The last 2 weeks she learned how to pull herself up to the couch and stand.  

At her 4 week check the doctor recommended she stay in the cast an extra week (7 weeks instead of 6 weeks) just to be safe.  

3 weeks before she got her cast off, 4 weeks in her cast we were able to do all her buckles up in her cast seat and she fit much better because she had lost weight. 

We still tucked a small pillow behind her back to add support and comfort. 

In the end we did survive the hip spica cast. It was a very stressful 7 weeks of our lives but we made it.  

The day before getting her cast off we let our kids sign it.  

At the doctors office getting ready to cut the cast off.  

She really did very well.  I put her favorite show, Peppa Pig on my phone and she watched it while they cut the cast.  They made 4 cuts, 1 cut down each side of her leg.  Then they pulled the top part off.  She looked down moved her leg a little and started to cry.  She cried on and off until we got her in her car seat.  I'm not sure if it really hurt or if she just didn't want to move it because she was scared it would hurt.